Reservoir plunger head systems and methods

Abstract

A casing may be configured to envelop at least a portion of a plunger arm attached to a plunger head located in a reservoir. A plunger head moveable in a reservoir may have a front portion comprising a first material compatible with fluidic media in an interior volume of the reservoir. A seal member having a first end and a second end that taper to a mid-portion may be positioned between a reservoir and a plunger head. A bias member may be configured to force a plunger arm operatively connected to a plunger head against a drive member to operatively engage the plunger arm to the drive member. A plunger head moveable in a reservoir may have a first ridge, a second ridge, a seal member adjacent at least one of the ridges, and protrusions arranged around at least one of the ridges.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for transferring fluidic media, the system comprising:
 a reservoir body having an interior volume for containing fluidic media and an opening; 
 a plunger head moveable in an axial direction within the reservoir body; 
 a plunger arm operatively connected to the plunger head, the plunger arm having an arm portion extending out of the opening of the reservoir body for operatively engaging a drive member configured to move the plunger arm and the plunger head relative to the reservoir body when the arm portion is operatively engaged to the drive member; 
 a reservoir cover covering at least a portion of the opening of the reservoir body; and 
 a casing concentrically surrounding the plunger arm for supporting or aligning the plunger arm, wherein the casing is fixed to the reservoir cover so as to extend from the reservoir cover along the axial direction to allow the plunger arm to move in the axial direction relative to the casino and the reservoir body to move the plunger head in the axial direction within the reservoir body. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , the plunger arm having at least one side adjacent the casing and at least partially supported by the casing to align the plunger arm for movement in the axial direction relative to the reservoir body. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2 , the plunger arm having at least two sides adjacent the casing and at least partially supported by the casing to align the plunger arm for movement in the axial direction relative to the reservoir body, the at least two sides comprising a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the first side and the second side parallel the axial direction. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , the casing having an opening for allowing the arm portion of the plunger arm to operatively engage the drive member through the opening. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 4 , the opening for allowing a mating portion of the drive member to extend through the opening to operatively engage the arm portion of the plunger arm within the interior of the casing. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of protuberances positioned on a surface of the plunger arm, the protuberances on the surface of the plunger arm for contacting an interior surface of the casing. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , the plunger arm having a surface having concavities and convexities, the convexities on the surface of the plunger arm for contacting an interior surface of the casing. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of protuberances positioned on an interior surface of the casing, the protuberances on the interior surface of the casing for contacting the plunger arm. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1 , the casing having an interior surface having concavities and convexities, the convexities on the interior surface of the casing for contacting the plunger arm. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a support flange having a first side and a second side, the first side of the support flange connected to a side of the plunger arm, the second side of the support flange connected to a surface of the plunger head that is operatively connected to the plunger arm. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plunger arm is fully enclosed within the interior of the casing. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 1 , the system further comprising a bias member supported in the interior of the casing to be between a wall of the casing and the plunger arm, the bias member configured to force the plunger arm against the drive member to operatively engage the plunger arm to the drive member. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 1 , the casing configured to fit in the end of the reservoir body. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 1 , the easing having a mating portion for mating with a mating portion of the end of the reservoir body. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 1 ,
 the easing having a width dimension and a thickness dimension transverse to each other; 
 the reservoir body having a width dimension and a thickness dimension transverse to each other, the width dimension and the thickness dimension of the reservoir body transverse the axial direction; 
 wherein the width dimension and the thickness dimension of the reservoir body are each equal to or greater than the width dimension and the thickness dimension of the casing, respectively. 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 1 ,
 the reservoir body having a port for transferring fluidic media contained in the interior volume; 
 the interior volume defined by a reservoir wall and an end of the reservoir body, the end of the reservoir body opposite the port of the reservoir body; 
 the plunger head arranged in the interior volume between the end and the port of the reservoir to be moveable in the axial direction within interior volume of the reservoir body; 
 the easing connected to the end of the reservoir body so as to extend from the reservoir body along the axial direction to allow the plunger arm to move in the axial direction relative to the reservoir body to move the plunger head in the axial direction within the reservoir body. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the casing is integral with the reservoir cover. 
     
     
       18. A method of making a system for transferring fluidic media, the method comprising:
 providing a reservoir body having an interior volume for containing fluidic media; 
 locating a plunger head moveable in an axial direction within the reservoir body; 
 operatively connecting a plunger arm to the plunger head, the plunger arm having an arm portion extending out of an opening of the reservoir body for operatively engaging a drive member configured to move the plunger arm and the plunger head relative to the reservoir body when the arm portion is operatively engaged to the drive member; and 
 supporting concentrically the plunger arm for movement in an interior of a casing and relative to the casing, the casing supporting or aligning the plunger arm, wherein the casing is fixed to a reservoir cover covering at least a portion of the opening of the reservoir body so as to extend from the reservoir cover along the axial direction to allow the plunger arm to move in the axial direction relative to the casing and the reservoir body to move the plunger head in the axial direction within the reservoir body. 
 
     
     
       19. A system for transferring fluidic media, the system comprising:
 a reservoir having an interior volume for containing fluidic media and an opening; 
 a reservoir cover covering at least a portion of the opening; 
 a plunger head enclosed within the reservoir, the plunger head moveable in an axial direction within the reservoir, the plunger head comprising:
 a front portion in contact with fluidic media when fluidic media is in the interior volume of the reservoir, the front portion comprising a first material compatible with fluidic media in the interior volume of the reservoir; 
 a rear portion located on an opposite side of the plunger head from the interior volume of the reservoir, the rear portion connectable to a plunger arm, the rear portion comprising a second material different from the first material, the second material incompatible with the fluidic media in the interior volume of the reservoir, wherein the plunger arm extends out of the opening of the reservoir and is concentrically surrounded by a casing, which is fixed to the reservoir cover, the casing for supporting or aligning the plunger arm, the plunger arm being moveable relative to the casing. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The system according to  claim 19 , further comprising a seal member positioned between the reservoir and the plunger head. 
     
     
       21. The system according to  claim 20 , the seal member positioned between the front portion and the rear portion of the plunger head. 
     
     
       22. The system according to  claim 19 , further comprising a connection structure that removably attaches the front portion of the plunger head to the rear portion of the plunger head and allows removal of the front portion of the plunger head from the rear portion of the plunger head. 
     
     
       23. The system according to  claim 19 , wherein the front portion of the plunger head has a diameter that is substantially equal to a diameter of the rear portion of the plunger head. 
     
     
       24. The system of  claim 23 , wherein the diameter of the front portion of the plunger head is equal to the diameter of the rear portion of the plunger head. 
     
     
       25. The system according to  claim 19 , wherein the front portion and the rear portion of the plunger head is are each entirely enclosed in the reservoir. 
     
     
       26. The system of  claim 19 , the front portion and the rear portion of the plunger head each having a thickness dimension extending in the axial direction, the reservoir body having a thickness dimension extending in the axial direction, the thickness dimensions of the reservoir body greater than the front portion and the rear portion of the plunger head collectively. 
     
     
       27. A method of making a system for transferring fluidic media, the method comprising:
 providing a reservoir having an interior volume for containing fluidic media and an opening, wherein the opening is covered by a reservoir cover; 
 locating a plunger head enclosed within the reservoir, the plunger head moveable in an axial direction within the reservoir, the plunger head having a front portion and a rear portion, the from portion in contact with fluidic media when fluidic media is in the interior volume of the reservoir, the front portion comprising a first material compatible with fluidic, media in the interior volume of the reservoir, the rear portion located on an opposite side of the plunger head from the interior volume of the reservoir, the rear portion connectable to a plunger arm, the rear portion comprising a second material different from the first material, the second material incompatible with the fluidic media in the interior volume of the reservoir, wherein the plunger arm extends out of the opening of the reservoir and is concentrically surrounded by a casing, which is fixed to the reservoir cover, the casing for supporting or aligning the plunger arm, the plunger arm being moveable relative to the casing. 
 
     
     
       28. A system for transferring fluidic media, the system comprising:
 a plunger arm operatively connectable to a plunger head that is moveable in an axial direction within a reservoir, the plunger arm having an arm portion extending out of an opening of the reservoir body and that is configured for operative engagement to a drive member configured to move the plunger arm and the plunger head when the arm portion of the plunger arm is operatively engaged to the drive member; 
 a casing concentrically surrounding the plunger arm for supporting or aligning the plunger arm, wherein the casing is fixed to a reservoir cover covering at least a portion of a reservoir opening so as to extend from the reservoir cover along the axial direction to allow the plunger arm to move in the axial direction relative to the casing and the reservoir body to move the plunger head in the axial direction within the reservoir body; and 
 a bias member operatively engaged with the casing, the bias member configured to force the plunger arm against the drive member to operatively engage the plunger arm to the drive member. 
 
     
     
       29. The system of  claim 28 , the bias member positioned between the casing and the plunger arm. 
     
     
       30. The system of  claim 28 , the easing having an opening for allowing the arm portion of the plunger arm to operatively engage the drive member. 
     
     
       31. The system of  claim 30 , the opening for allowing a mating portion of the drive member to extend through the opening to operatively engage the arm portion of the plunger arm within the interior of the casing. 
     
     
       32. The system of  claim 28 , further comprising an outer casing configured to enclose at least a portion of the drive member and at least a portion of the plunger arm. 
     
     
       33. The system of  claim 32 , the bias member positioned between the outer casing and the plunger arm. 
     
     
       34. A method of making a system for transferring fluidic media, the method comprising:
 providing a plunger arm operatively connectable to a plunger head that is moveable in an axial direction within a reservoir, the plunger arm having an arm portion extending out of an opening of the reservoir body and that is configured liar operative engagement to a drive member configured to move the plunger arm and the plunger head when the arm portion of the plunger arm is operatively engaged to the drive member; 
 providing a casing concentrically surrounding the plunger arm for supporting or aligning the plunger arm, wherein the casing is fixed to a reservoir cover covering at least a portion of an opening of the reservoir so as to extend from the reservoir cover along the axial direction to allow the plunger arm to move in the axial direction relative to the casing and the reservoir body to move the plunger head in the axial direction within the reservoir body; and 
 providing a bias member operatively engaged with the casing, the bias member configured to force the plunger arm against the drive member to operatively engage the plunger arm to the drive member.